THE HISTORY

The Pubbliche Assistenze, Italian Associations that provided assistance to the general public, began to form in 1860. Based on solidaristic ideals and acting on the belief that people should help one another as brothers and sisters, they were free, secular and democratic associations of volunteers open to anyone’s participation.

Multiplying rapidly across most of the nation, the associations devoted their efforts to such activities as emergency medical rescue, disaster relief, support programs for the disadvantaged, and the popularization of civil rights and public health awareness. Eventually developing a need for coordination at the national level, they joined together in 1904, in Spoleto, Italy, creating the Federazione Nazionale delle Società di Pubblica Assistenza e Pubblico Soccorso, which received official recognition as an “Institution Devoted to Public Good” in a 1911 King’s Decree. Since then, the Pubbliche Assistenze’s activity has continued, becoming a part of the nation’s political, social and cultural history.

TODAY

ANPAS, as the federation is now called, represents 850 associations involved daily in services ranging from emergency medical care and transportation to social programs, heathcare programs, and disaster prevention and relief. Supported by 700,000 members, it counts on 100,000 trained volunteers and a fleet of 2,700 ambulances. Its member associations are active in 18 Italian regions, with the sole exceptions of Valle d’Aosta and Trentino Alto Adige. ANPAS’ internal structure includes a national and a regional level, with the latter represented by the 16 Regional Chapters currently operating.

By special arrangement with the State Agency for Civil Service, ANPAS is authorized to manage the placement of conscientious objectors in the 493 member associations that participate in this program, employing up to 3,200 conscientious objectors. Starting in 2001, ANPAS also has authority to assist associations wishing to apply for the national civil service projects provided for in Act 64/01. Over 300 member associations have already submitted 500 such projects, offering experience and training to 1,264 young women and 135 young men.

Counting on extensive experience in international aid programs and recognizing that an NGO would constitute a more appropriate instrument for their activities abroad, ANPAS and its member associations promoted, in 1999, the creation of Anpas Solidarietà Internazionale-NGO. To this organization, ANPAS has entrusted the management of wide ranging international aid programs, such as the Chernobyl project, which allows children from the affected regions to spend health boosting vacations away from contaminated areas: between 1992 and 2002, this program has arranged the hosting of 35,638 children.

In partnership with Anpas Solidarietà Internazionale-NGO and UniTS-Università del Terzo Settore, ANPAS is currently involved in international aid and child protection programs in Belarus, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Kossovo, Serbia, Bosnia, Costa Rica and Venezuela. Our initiatives in these countries include:

• “support a child in need” programs;

• child neglect prevention for disadvantaged families;

• national adoption and foster care promotion;

• establishment of foster homes;

• awareness raising and training of personnel in existing orphanages.

In addition, ANPAS figures among the agencies authorized by the Italian Central Authority for intercountry adoptions (Presidency of the Council of Ministers - Intercountry Adoptions Commission) to serve adoptive families residing anywhere in Italy and conduct intercountry adoptions programs with Bulgaria, Costa Rica and Venezuela.

ANPAS is a member of:

The European Union’s Commission for the Development of NGOs

The National Observatory for Volunteering

Forum Permanente Terzo Settore

C.N.E.S.C. (State Conference of Social Service Agencies)

National Center for Volunteering

AsterX Società Consortile

I.C.S. (Italian Solidarity Consorzium)

Italian NGO’s Assembly

I.C.S.W. (Italian Committee of Social Workers)

Associazione Nazionale Libera

ANPAS is a free, independent and democratic unitary movement, grounding its activities on democratic constitutional principles, community participation and volunteer work.

Its principal aims include:

• the establishment of a more solidarity-oriented and just society, a goal to be achieved by fostering the defense and respect of people’s rights, as well as through any activities based on the human ability to help and assist others;

• the representation of its member associations at the local, national and international level;

• the protection, support, promotion and coordination of organized volunteer work, throughout the nation and abroad;

• the development of a solidarity-oriented culture and the defense of civil rights.

All our member associations provide unconditional assistance to anyone in need, and are generally open to anyone wishing to participate in their activities.

Areas of Activity